An Unexpected Twist
by fire-emblem-girl
Summary: When Matthew finds an unconcious Sacaen in Caelin he never expected his involvement to go any farther, but with every action comes an unexpected reaction. Matthewxleila eventually Matthewxguy YAOI.T for violence and homosexual relationships!
1. Chapter 1

_This, could be rather interesting_ the thief mused as he handed another piece of meat to the emerald haired Sacean. _Rather interesting indeed._

"So what are you doing out here all by yourself? A kid like you could get killed you know."

That earned him a glare for all his trouble. But the kid kept eating like he was being paid. _Well, that's fine. You can eat my rations...but you owe me_. Matthew chose to keep that little detail to himself for now; there was no reason to let an opportunity like this to pass him by. To do so would be a crime.

"Okay, okay. A _young adult_ like you could get killed."

No reply. But then again, if the kid choked to death he really was no use to Matthew. No use at all. Because, at heart, Matthew was an opportunist, and the possibilities that were running through his head at this very moment far out weighed the threats that Lyndis or Hector could use against him. Well, perhaps not in Hector's case. The Lordling had already tried many times to separate the thief's head from his body but one as bulky as the younger man couldn't ever hope to catch a thief. _Unless of course he snuck up on me whilst I was thinking of him sneaking up on me. _But no, his next meeting with his Lord was not for awhile. Or was it next week?

By the time the 'young adult' was finished eating the battle was nearly over. Not that he was involved anyway but it would be a good idea not to allow Lyndis to know what he was doing. At least the kid was more talkative now that he was actually full. Being the way he was Matthew naturally brought up the issue of repayment at that time.

"What?! You never told me any of this! Why did you wait for me to finish you monster?!"

The sandy haired thief just smiled as he rested his chin in his hand, "you're a fighter. But regardless, the fact remains that you owe me. For saving your life. Can you honestly say you wouldn't expect the same if the roles were reversed? How am I ever going to explain the missing food to my liege? She'll be quite upset."

"Y-Y-You...then you should have just let me die then! I can't repay you!"

"That is why I have devised an ingenious plan my friend. You'll sign this paper saying that you owe me the same amount of favours as the number of pieces of meat you ate. Do you understand?" Matthew couldn't help but continue to grin. This Sacaen was infinitely more fun than Lyndis; after all, he got angry so easily!

"I can't do that!!"

"Oh? Why is that? Aren't Sacaens supposed to be...trustworthy...upright...contributing, members of society?" he was pushing his luck now but then again, the man had never been one to shy away from a bit of possible danger.

The boy didn't move other than to cross his arms over his chest and grind his teeth against one another.

"So you'll sign it then."

"Fine. But I'm not going to make this easy for you!" the vermillion haired swordsman snapped.

How right he had been.

Matthew was yet again running for his life and had he had any honour he surely would have lost it at this moment. But luckily for his manhood and non-existent conscience he had lost all semblance of knowledge of rules and regulations long ago. His liege, which was once again Lord Hector of Ostia, had apparently decided that he, being the honourable man he was, had had enough of Matthew stealing his rations. And he had turned into a sort of Queen of Hearts as it were. With the whole 'off with his head!' thing.

But even as his heart pumped faster than it ever had just to keep up with the pounding of his feet Matthew was grinning to himself. Hector really was the most fun to antagonize. And anyway he hadn't had anything to do lately as Lord Eliwood of Pherae rather disliked thieves. The brunette rather disliked authourity. Which, he supposed, was the reason he was flying down the pathway that led to their camp like a graceful gazelle to escape the jaws of the licentious lion. He quite liked the attention he got though.

"Oh there they go again."

"Thud."

Matthew slammed on the brakes and spun around to see a madly swearing Hector flailing about on the ground. _It was a good thing I dug that hole in the road after all!_ At that thought he couldn't help but let a short bark of laughter escape from his lips. This just made the blue haired young man even angrier. Today was a good day for sure.

"MATTHEW IF YOU DON'T GET YOURSELF BACK HERE I'LL CUT YOUR HEAD OFF THEN SEW IT BACK ON THEN CUT IF OFF AGAIN!"

_What an odd threat. But I suppose if that's what he wants to do..._

"Yes young master!"

He trotted over and smiled down at the still trapped Lordling, "you seem to be stuck in a hole young master."

"I...know that Matthew. That's why I called you over."

"Well, if you know then I'll be off," the thief shrugged then turned to leave.

"You...bloody idiot! Help me out of this hole!"

"Well why didn't you just say that young master? I would have been far less confused had you simply said 'Matthew get over here and help me of this hole I have been foolish enough to fall into'," he was once again treading on thin ice but fighting with Hector was like filling a water pouch. One could only fill it with so much water before one would lose everything to an explosion; his liege was close to said explosion.

"MATTHEW! I'm going to KILL you!"

The brunette put a hand on his hip, "well...young master. I would love to help you...but. You have just threatened my life. A dog that has been threatened by his master will most certainly think twice about helping his master should said master run into trouble. In other words, I am simply frightened of what will become of my life when I help you out. What will become of Leila should you kill me? I cannot just leave her all alone now can I? Well young master, I bid thee good day and good luck. Hopefully you will be rescued before dinner-oh! There's the bell now! Farewell milord!"

The Leila card always worked. Well, nearly always. Except for that time that he had made Hector so angry he had said that he would kill her too so they would be together and that earned him both the silent torment from Matthew and a sound slap from Lyn. While he had deserved the threat the sandy haired man would never wish for Leila to die even if it was for him. After a week of putting rocks in Hector's pack, jumping out at him in the middle of the night and generally just annoying the man more than usual Matthew's torture had ebbed now to a minor wave of attack every 3 months or so. Just to remind his liege that he hadn't forgotten.

"OKAY! I'm sorry. I won't hurt you."

He turned, "hm? What was that milord?"

"I said I was sorry for threatening you. Now help me!"

"Oh young master, I never knew you could be so kind. I would gladly help you! Well, if I was strong enough. Kidding milord, kidding!"

Hector was glaring at him from across the fire. Matthew grinned back at him. They had gotten back to camp just in time to get the last of the leftovers. Only because the thief had made a big show about not being able to pull the bigger man out but of course he had had no trouble. The entire group was to move again tomorrow; to Castle Santaruz and Lord Helman.

"Matthew!"

It was as if nobody could call his name normally. It was always 'MATTHEW!' or sometimes 'YOU!' but never 'good day Matthew, would you care to walk and perhaps converse with me in a completely civil manner?'

"What is it?"

"Eliwood wants to see you," Serra said before preparing to launch into more gossip.

"That so? Alright. I'm off!"

In the end it turned out Eliwood only wanted to ask why Hector was in such a foul mood since the morning and Matthew wisely chose to omit some crucial details. Because, he had to be honest, if the thief ever told the truth he would be long dead by now.

"Are you going to turn off the light Oswin?"

"Not any time soon," the knight looked up from his documents for a moment.

He and Oswin had been forced to share a tent. This was turning out to be one of the most torturous experiences of Matthew's life. The man never went to sleep when everyone else did, he was much too strict and all he did was worry about whether he should be guarding their liege or not. But it was too late to change now and no one would want to switch even if he could have.

Matthew groaned and rolled off of his bedroll onto the dirt floor. He was tired. Too tired to care that he was lying in dirt and too tired to sleep. Which was quite stupid but he wasn't about to argue with himself about his sleeping habits; it would just be weird. So instead of getting himself dirty the man got to his feet and dragged himself outside.

The sky was painted with an array of grays, blues and tiny pinpricks of light that burned someplace far from where he was standing. The man could barely see a foot in front of his own face; the landscape was completely bathed in darkness. But he sighed, taking a few deep breaths as if to drink in the blackness of night. It was cold, so much in fact that he could see his breath represented in the frigid air as puffs of white. A familiar thought crossed his mind. _What is Leila doing right now?_

They didn't get to see one another very often; both being spies. But he still missed her. Even if she was kind of a weirdo sometimes. And she did tend to beat him upside the head when he said things she didn't like; but hey, he needed to be reined in sometimes. Matthew was pretty sure he loved her. And he was pretty sure he wanted to marry her, and soon. _Perhaps after our missions. Yes, that's an excellent way to finish an assignment! Unless she were to reject me. Well then, that would be a horrible note to end a mission on. _But thinking would get him nowhere but worry and anxiety, of which he had far too much of already. Plus, he wasn't entirely sure when he would see Leila next so there was no use in agonizing over the entire official un-official proposal for longer than he had to.

And in any case he had much more pressing matters to attend to though he didn't yet know it.


	2. Chapter 2

An Unexpected Twist

so here is chapter 2. forgive me for taking so long, i change pairing obsessions quickly. also i plan for this fic to be REALLY long. like stupid it's so long. just to warn you. i believe in building up relationships and getting over leila would take a long time!

Chapter 2

Matthew didn't like rain. Even more than rain he hated fog. The only real semblance of a reason being that in said conditions he was placed in front of everyone else, right in the face of danger, so that he could tell them should danger approach. Which Matthew thought rather stupid as dead men tell no tales as the saying goes. He did not want to be a dead man. He did not want to be even an injured man. So to cheer himself up he would stop the entire caravan every so often saying he thought he saw something. Then brush it off as nothing. Young Master was less than pleased.

"Matthew if you call one more false alarm..."

"They weren't false milord. I thought I saw someone, I really did. It's this fog you see, it plays tricks on the mind."

Hector moved to scratch his back. Despite the fact that one could not itch where a large axe was hanging, "the only one playing tricks is you."

"No, no Young Master, I would never play any tricks on you!"

The lordling scowled at him but left the thief to do his work. Matthew took the opportunity to stop the entire line once more.

"I cannot continue. You see, my eyes are causing me a great deal of pain from all this strain. If we could stop a moment Lord Eliwood?"

Being the prat he was Eliwood naturally said yes. _I win again Lord Eliwood. And just for good measure..._He strolled over to Hector and squinted.

"Oh, milord, is that you?"

"Of course it's me you idiot!"

"No, I am but a blind man. How would you like it if people called you stupid? Oh wait, well... A better example...how would you like it I were to call you...no see it's gone now," Matthew waved his hands in an increasingly dramatic and expressive manner.

"If you continue you'll actually be a blind man!"

He was pushing it. The thief naturally continued.

"How undeniably cruel Young Master! I should file a complaint with your brother I should!"

"Oh shut your mouth you over-dramatic-"

In the process of flailing his arms about Matthew then felt it necessary to 'accidently' attack his lord's face. Perhaps the act would get him beheaded or some such punishment. He sorely doubted it. _Young Master __**would**__ try for it but he could never actually do it. I hope._ Matthew, being cautious in addition to incredibly witty, immediately covered his mouth with a hand.

"M-Milord! Forgive my incredible stupidity! Your face, I've marred your only way to gain a wife!"

The last part had slipped out completely unbidden however his lord did not appear to know the truth behind the thief's words. _Oops! Oh bugger. This is quite a spot I've gotten myself into now. Well Leila, forgive me. It seems I will never get to see your increasingly beautiful face ever again. _He obscured his own face with both arms in the hope that should Hector swing that enormous axe of his Matthew's arms would be cut off instead of his head.

"You. You...You...YOU!!"

"Yes, it is me Milord. Though I cannot really see how I could have switched myself with any other given my rogueish good looks-finding an adequete look-alike would be rather difficult you see-" with a spritely leap Matthew cleared the attack range of Hector's weapon for the moment.

"Come here, I want to cut your head off!"

"Young Master be reasonable, I only meant it is-oh dear!" he ducked, feeling a rush of air just above his head.

"Hector, please, restrain yourself. I'll kill him for you," Oswin trudged up accompagnied by the sound of his clanking armour.

Matthew raised his hands in surrender, "O-Oswin please, I only meant that it was his only means of gaining a lady at the moment! Of course when he becomes Marquess-which is not to say I wish death upon Lord Uther-Oh Saint Elimine that's quite a large lance!"

"Hector! Are you attempting to kill one of our allies? I know that Matthew is not the most...honourable of men however we need all those who are willing to help us," Eliwood placed a hand on the other lordling's shoulder.

"You heard him!"

"Oh please Lord Eliwood, I am not one to plead for my life but I must!"

"Oh my GOSH! Matthew get up! The battle's begun again!"

_Why are you here? Why am I not dead?_ He cracked open an eye in time to see Serra flying out of his tent. Oswin had apparently taken it upon himself to make Matthew look like a complete and utter fool by allowing the thief to sleep in. _Well fine. I am perfectly okay with not being on time as it is not in the thief's handbook that I must be. _In any case he jumped into his clothes and jogged out to the battlefield. Which looked like it went on pretty much forever. _Oh bugger. Did we really have to start all the way over here? _

On the horizon he noticed the castle Santaruz which had loomed over them the entire night as if mocking them with its very existence alone. _Lookit me, I'm __**rich**__. _Matthew took his place next to Kent-though the cavalier scowled at him like his being a thief morally offended him on many, many levels. Which, Matthew supposed, wasn't entirely impossible.

"Hullo Kent, how goes it?"

"Well. Yourself? However there is no time for idle chatter on the battlefield."

"Er…right you are. I've been…'well' as well. I suppose. So long as you fail to include Young Master's daily attempts on my life which…thus far have been…laughably unsuccessful," he continued prattling on while they waited for their orders if only to watch the knight's face growing redder and redder as time went on.

"I am unable to perform my duties with you talking so incessantly Matthew…"

"Oh bloody hell."

_Bloody hell you're annoying that is. I can't help talking it's my nature unfortunately Sir Kent! _He pouted for a moment until Mark gave him the order to move forward while Kent broke off to the right to help support Sain. His eyes widened with recognition and a grin spread across his face.

"Why hello there!"

"…M-Matthew?! What are you doing here?!"

Matthew pretended to think for a moment then pointed, "Guy, right? If I remember correctly I rescued you a little over a year ago on the plains!"

"Grr…you didn't have to bring that up! I'm employed now!"

"…Hm…I think you should quit and join Lord Eliwood's group!" the brown haired man leaned forward so he would have a better look at Guy's face when the inevitable anger came.

"What?!" the Sacean's face immediately darkened to a shade of red that almost crossed over into purple and Matthew felt rather concerned that the myrmidon would combust.

"Well, if I remember correctly Guy you owe me 6 favours in exchange for the 6 pieces of meat I fed you that day. This will count as one. I would much rather not fight you at the moment Guy I must admit you've gotten quite fierce looking."

"You're a monster! I just get a job and now I have to throw it away…what a waste!"

With Guy's help adding to the might of everyone else overthrowing Santaruz and reaching Lord Helman posed no real trouble. The Lords had burst through the front doors and quickly made a sweep of the entire castle with the help of the left over guards while the rest of the legion busied themselves elsewhere. Matthew personally kept his eye out for any treasure and made it his job to pick up the weapons left behind by their enemies. _Oh dear, young master really laid into this one poor bastard! Well, I'll be taking your lance now anyway. _

"Wh-What're you doing?!"

"Hm? Oh, hello Guy! I'm making use of these people's weapons you see."

"The-They're dead! That's so…" the Sacaen glared at him, "you're disrespecting their spirits!"

"I'm doing nothing of the sort Father Guy. I dare say they won't be needing them any longer!"

"I don't follow Elimine! You…I'll…Fight me right now!"

Everyone who milled about the battlefield stopped to stare after Guy's outburst and a few surveyed the scene with vague interest. _Oh hell no, I've only just finished fighting! _

"I'm afraid I can't do that Guy as I'm rather indisposed at the moment however….if you so choose to extend the invitation I'd be glad to do battle later. I'll even get rid of all your favours you owe me if you win," he glanced over his shoulder and raised his eyebrows, "Well Guy?"

"…Fine!"

Matthew smiled, "it's a deal then."

Guy scowled at him then turned on his heel to walk away which was when the thief chose to strike. In an instant he had both of the myrmidon's arms twisted behind his back and a dagger to his throat.

"I win!"

"W-What?!" the viridian haired boy struggled against the man's grip but ended up further entangling himself, "that's not fair!"

"Fighting isn't fair Guy. Besides you never said _when _we would fight isn't that right?"

"URGH! I'll-I'll kill you!"

"Of course you will Guy, of course." And he went back to his work with a grin after unloading the weapons on the other man. _Guy really is too much fun. _

End Chapter Two

F.Y.I, Matthew's dream makes no damn sense


End file.
